"It just overwhelms our system," she said.ĭes Moines metro area hospitals are also feeling the strain in recent weeks and have reported the surge has resulted in emergency rooms experiencing more than double their typical patient visits in recent weeks.
This has mostly been driven by unusually high infection rates of respiratory viruses, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV, among others. In recent weeks, UnityPoint Health clinics across the central part of the state have seen as much as a 40% increase in patient volume compared to what providers would typically see, Newland said. More health news: 'Keep your babies home,' Iowa doctor says as RSV, flu, COVID collide in Iowa's worst winter for illness in years “We believe that having patients reserve a time online, we can better serve our community as efficiently as possible.” Josh Rehmann, vice president and medical director for UnityPoint Clinic in central Iowa, said in a statement. “Our goal is to deliver high-quality care to as many patients as safely as possible,” Dr. New appointment slots for the next day open at 9 p.m. Patients may not be able to schedule an appointment the same day, Newland said.
Unity point urgent care altoona iowa full#
"We don't want to have people sitting in a crowded room full of ill people," Newland said.Īs of Monday, to visit an urgent care or express care site, patients must reserve an appointment slot online, either through or through their MyUnityPoint account. Patricia Newland, a family medicine provider and the CEO of UnityPoint Clinic, said the goal is to reduce waiting times by controlling the flow of patients in the clinics and help them receive "safe and efficient care." Health system officials are also encouraging patients to access other nonurgent medical care to help alleviate the backlog.
An early and unusually high surge of respiratory illnesses is packing waiting rooms with sick patients at local emergency rooms and urgent cares, resulting in long wait times and a strain on health care facilities.Īs a result, UnityPoint Health has implemented a new scheduling process for its urgent cares and express care locations in central Iowa, requiring all patients to reserve a time online rather than walk in for care.ĭr.
0 kommentar(er)
